Amusement apparatus.



O. V. JOHNSON.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.20,1905.'

2 SHEETS-SHEET L No. 798,966. PATENTED SEPT. 5, 1905.

G. V. JOHNSON.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

uruoumn mum 11:11.20, 1905. snms 8nm 2 5J1 wen Co's CARL V. JOHNSON, OFSALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

- Patented Sept. 5, 1905.

Application filed February 20,1905, Serial No, 246,550.

To aZZ 1072,0771, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CARL V. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake and State ofUtah, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AmusementApparatuses; and I do declare the followingto be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in amusement apparatuses.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of this character inwhich a rolling object, such as a bicycle or car under the control of arider or operator, is caused to travel do wn an incline and around aloop or spirally-shaped way or track, upon which said rolling objectwill be held by centrifugal force and by the momentum required from thepassage of the same down an inclined way leading to said spiral loop.

Another object is to provide a spirally-constructed trackway of thischaracter in which a portion of the way is omitted to form a break orspace therein, said space being covered by a hinged section, which isautomatically released and swung upwardly by the releasing of a suitablelocking mechanism by the rolling object during the first passage of thesame around said path or track.

A further object is to provide asimple and reliable locking mechanismfor holding the hinged section of the track in place, which will bepositively operated by the rolling object to release said swinging or,hinged section to permit the same to be swung upwardly or opened.

WVith these and other objects in view the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts,as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of anapparatus of this character constructed in accordance with theinvention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view through aportion of the same, taken through the hinged section and the adjacent'parts, said hinged section being shown in dotted lines in open position;and Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the apparatus looking toward the outerside of the hinged section and the locking mechanism for holding thesame in place.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes asupporting-frame in which is arranged an inclined trackway 2, saidtrackway being raised to a suitable elevation or inclination, which willgive the proper momentum to the object rolling down the same. At thelower end of the incline-way 2 is arranged a supporting-frame 3, inwhich is secured a looped or spirally constructed trackway 4, saidtrackway being preferably constructed of matched boards runningcrosswise to the length of the track and securely held in place, asshown. The trackway 4 is preferably constructed in a spiral manner toform substantially a loop and a half, the lower end or termination ofthe trackway being supported and attached to a suitable support 5. Inthe upward rise of the trackway adjacent or opposite to the terminatingend of the same is formed a break or gap 6 of sufficient length topermit the rolling object, with its rider or operator, to pass freelythrough the same.

Arranged in the gap 6 to normally close the same is a section of track7, said section being hinged at its upper end and adapted to swingoutwardly and upwardly to the dotted-line position shown in Fig. 2 ofthe drawings. In order to normally look or hold the hinged sections 7 ina lowered position to form an unbroken track or way, a suitable lockingmechanism is provided. Said locking mechanism comprises a pair ofcatch-plates 8, which are hinged at their lower ends to a portion of thesupporting-frame 3 and are adapted to be swung upwardly against the rearside of the hinge-section when the same is in closed position. Slidablymounted in suitable guides on the rear side of the hinged section aresliding bolts 9, which are adapted to be engaged with the upper ends ofthe catch-plates 8, thus holding the same and the hinged section 7 inoperative position.

In order to release the swinging section to permit the same to be raisedor swung upwardly to open the gap 6 in the spiral trackway, a suitablereleasing mechanism is provided, said mechanism comprising a shaft 10,

which is pivotally mounted on the upper portion of the frame 3 and hasformed thereon laterally-projecting crank-arms 12, to the outer ends ofwhich are secured flexible connections 13, the lower ends of saidconnections being secured to the bolts 9.

to the shaft 10 and projecting downwardly therefrom at rightangles tothe crank-arms 12 is an arm 14:, to the lower end of which is pivotallyconnected a link 15, the opposite Secured end of which is connected to aswinging bail 16. This bail 16 is hingedly mounted upon the frame 6 andis adapted to project through a transversely-disposed slot 17, formed inthe spiral path or trackway immediately above the hinged end of theswinging section 7, whereby when a rolling object passes over thisportion of the trackway the projected portion of the swinging bail 16will be engaged and forced inwardly, thereby rocking the shaft 10 andcausing the crank-arms 12 to pull upwardly upon the flexible connections13 to release or disengage the bolts 9 from the hinged catch-plates 8,which will cause the same to drop or swing outwardly, thus.

releasing the hinged section 7 to permit the same to be raised orswung.upwardly. the shaft 10 isfixed a laterally-projecting arm;

18, which extends in a direction oppositeto' that of the crank-arms 14;,and to the same is connected a spiral spring 19. The tendency of thisspring 19 is exerted to normally pro,- ject the swinging bail into theslot 17 in. the trackway and; also to hold the shaft LOagainst casualmovement, which would release the locking mechanism of the hingedsection at the wrong time.

In order that the hinged section 71' may be raisedor swung upwardly whenreleased from the holding mechanism, a suitable lifting orraisingmechanism is provided, said mechanism being preferably in the form of aweight 20, suspended by a cord or cable 21, which passes throughsuitable guide-pulleys 22- on the frame 3 and is connected to. an eyeon,the lower or free end of the hinged section, as shown.

In order that the catch-plates 8 may be caused to drop quickly andpositively when released from engagement with the bolts 9, the same areprovided with depending weights; 23, which are connected theretov byshort flBXlT.

ble connections 24. At the lower ed go of the break or gap 6 in thespiral way- 4 is formed a suitable inclined trackway 25, down which therolling object runs after passing through said space or gap.

In using the apparatus the rolling object is started fromthe upper endof the inclined way or track, passing down the same to the first rise ofthe spiral trackway, up which the same then runs by the inertia ormomens tum gained during the passage down the inclined way 2, saidmomentum beingsuflicient to carry the rolling object up and over thefirst rise of the spiral track. As the rolling object passes up saidrise the same will trip, the releasing mechanism of the hinged section7, thus permitting the same to. be swung up wardly to open the gap 6.The rolling object, after reaching the top of the first rise in thespiral way, passes down the opposite side of the same and starts uponthe second rise of formed in said first rise and will then pass down theinclined trackway 25, thus looping the loop and leaping the gap.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction and; operation of the inventionwill be readily understood without re-v quiring'a more extendedexplanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the'm-inor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the prin. cipleor sacrificingany of the advantages of this invention.

Having-thu described, my invention, whatI claim. asnew, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1 In n amusement apparat s, the combination with aninclined way, ofaspirally-constructed way forming a continuation of said inclined way, ahinged section formed in said spiral way, hinged catch-plates arrangedads jacent to the free endof said hinged section, boltsslidably mountedon said section to en.-. gage said hinged catch-plates, a crank-shaft,flexible connections between the cranks of said shaft and said bolts,and a trip mechanism arranged across. said way which when actuatedwillrock; said crank-shaft and disengage said bolts from the catch-plates,thereby releasing the hinged section, and means whereby said hingedsection is, raised oropened, substantially as described.

2. In an amusement apparatus, the combination with an inclined Way, of aspirally-constructed wayconnected therewith, said spiral;

Way forming substantially a loop and a half, a hinged section arrangedin said way, hinged catch-plates adapted to engage and hold said hingedsection in place, bolts slidably mounted on said hinged section to:engage said plates, a spring-projected crank-shaft, flexible con-.nections' between the cranks on said shaft andsaid bolts, a hingedl-y-.rnounted trip-bar arranged across said way, a linkconnecting'said trip-bar with said crank-shaft, whereby the same will berocked thereby disengaging said bolts from said latch-plates andreleasing said section, and a Weight adapted to, lift and open saidhinged sectionwhen the same is released, substantially as described,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set myhand in presence of] twosubscribing itnesses.

CARL V. JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

- ELI R;- WEAV M. J onNsoN.

